The Unraveling (Sequel to The Pitfall)

Introductions

"And finally, Brigham Smith and Jasper Ross." The bulky man who had walked into the building with Kane just stayed where he was, arms folded and pointedly looking at his partner, making the shorter more aristocratic looking man come to him.

"I can tell we're off to a beautiful friendship." Ross muttered, looking a bit put off but complying as he ran a hand through his black, nearly shoulder length hair.

Detective Dearborn loudly cleared his throat to regain their attention. "Get to know your partner. Talk. Ask questions. Figure out why they're here. You'll have ten minutes." He instructed and then turned his back to them, heading back to sit in the chair Auror Scott had vacated.

The room immediately filled with chatter as the others moved around and began introducing themselves. Draco glanced over at his partner. "So, would you like to go first?"

"I already know why you're here, Malfoy." He spat viciously. "You're not fooling anyone."

A tiny pebble of dread rose up from his stomach. "I don't know what you mean," He lied.

"Daddy gets out of Azkaban and you join the Auror Office? Seems like perfect timing."

"A coincidence, I assure you."

Masters scoffed and narrowed his eyes. "I don't believe in coincidences."

"Then that's on you." He replied evenly. "I'm here for the same reason Longbottom is, and probably most of you are. I was invited."

"You expect me," He paused and gestured to the room, "Expect us to believe you've come here with good intentions?"

"And what nefarious purpose do you suppose I have?"

The dark skinned man kept his gaze and the look in his eyes was clearly challenging. "You're the Death Eater, you tell me."

It wasn't as if the taunt surprised him, he knew exactly what kind of reputation he had, it was just that he wasn't used to letting the comments bounce off his back. He grit his teeth to hold back the retort that was at the tip of his tongue. He was here for a reason, a good one, and nothing any of them said would knock him down. He was going to do this. "Former Death Eater." He said finally, reigning in his anger and shame. "I've left that all behind me."

Draco felt the tension rise in the air between them. "So that's what you're going with? The turning over a new leaf card?" The other wizard laughed. "Forgive me if I don't take your word for it. I've known far too many Death Eaters."

The statement in itself was telling, but the look on the man's face indicated that it was probably worse than he thought, so he remained silent, but that only irked the man more.

"What? Nothing to say?"

"Nothing that needs said." He replied truthfully. What could he possibly say to that? Sorry for whatever fucked up things my dad's buddies probably put you or your family through? Sorry that I don't remember your face so it's impossible for me to tell if I was a part of it? I'm sorry if you lost someone because of a psychopath and his disgusting followers? He couldn't say that. Even if he did apologize, Thomas didn't really look like a very forgiving bloke.

He was proven right a moment later when he stepped up into Draco's space and hissed, "I don't know why they let a bastard like you in this program, but I'm going to make sure you're the first one to leave. I refuse to work alongside the scum that killed my sister."

Well, it was nice to finally have it out there. "I'm sorry for your loss." The words left unbidden from his mouth and he mentally kicked himself. That was not what he wanted to say. Things were surely going to get ugly.